The Daily

Daytes, Megafauna, Observer, & Manic Mongrel

February 17, 2010 at 4:00 AM

Courtesy

Critic's Pick
Release Date: 2010-02-17

First off: Megafauna’s vocalist-guitarist Dani Neff is better than the condescending “lookee here, a girl playin’ guitar good” BS musicians (not to mention butchers, bankers, and candlestickmakers) of the Venusian persuasion have to endure. A lot better. We probably shouldn’t have even brought it up, in fact. It isn’t often, though, that you hear musicians willing to drown such gorgeous female vocals in waves of technically accomplished guitar chaos. “Fun at the Apocalypse “ lives up to its name — Neff’s haunted revelations and Will Krause and Cameron Page’s brimstone rhythm heed to solos that will melt the seals off seven scrolls. But “Butter Cookie,” with Neff’s delicate self-harmonizing, could be a Regina Spektor song, at least until it’s dunked in grunge. Krause’s bass buzzes hungrily, and Page’s sticks smack the finish from his cymbals while Neff pulls off several of the moves that eventually required Eddie Van Halen to undergo hand surgery. You’d be tempted to call it cock rock, except for one obvious reason: Megafauna’s material is too weird and original to compare to some ego-driven garbage like Ted Nugent. Since Neff writes the songs, you could analyze them through a feminist lens as an angry rebellion against the traditional testosterone-oozing rock-song structure, but we’ve spent too much time already attempting to justify the somewhat-misguided pseudo-liberal thrill we get from watching a pretty lady play the living shit out of an electric guitar. Call for price, 10pm Fri, Feb 19, Limelight , 2718 N. St. Mary’s, (210) 735-7775 , myspace.com/limelightsa — Jeremy Martin